DETROIT – The Detroit Red Wings played catch-up hockey for two periods Thursday before battling back to tie the Montreal Canadiens early in the third.

They lost the lead, but continued to pressure the Canadiens.

They couldn’t complete the comeback, however, as Montreal held on for a 5-4 victory at Joe Louis Arena.

The Red Wings (33-26-14, 80 points) lost a valuable two points in their playoff chase. They are winless in three (0-2-1) and suffered their first regulation loss at home since Jan. 20 (4-1 vs. St. Louis). They were 8-0-3 in their past 11 at the Joe.

Johan Franzen cut the Canadiens’ lead to 5-4 at 11:36 of the third period with his first goal in 10 games.

A hooking penalty to Brendan Smith with 3:01 left hampered the Red Wings’ comeback attempt.

Tomas Tatar scored two goals in a span of 3:06 early in the third period to tie it.

Tatar trimmed the Canadiens’ lead to 3-2 when he intercepted a bad clearing pass by P.K. Subban just inside the blue line, skated into the slot and fired a wrist shot past Carey Price at 1:24.

Riding momentum, the Red Wings forced a turnover in the corner. Tomas Jurco passed out front to Tatar, who buried a shot from close range to tie it at 4:30. He has 18 goals.

Their momentum was short-lived, however, as Max Pacioretty notched his 33rd goal of the season at 5:48 snap the tie. On a play that was off-sides, Pacioretty’s shot deflected in past Jimmy Howard off defenseman Niklas Kronwall’s skate.

Montreal took a 5-3 lead when Thomas Vanek scored at 11:15 on a redirection from the slot.

Franzen trimmed the Red Wings’ deficit, but that was as close as they got.

The Red Wings came out with more energy in the second period, following a poor showing in the first.

Sheahan scored at 1:28 to cut the Canadiens’ lead to 2-1.

Jurco forced a turnover and Luke Glendening made a nice backhand pass to Sheahan, who skated in and fired the puck over Price’s right shoulder.

Montreal regained its two-goal lead at 11:03 on a goal by David Desharnais.

The Red Wings won the defensive-zone faceoff but Kronwall lost the puck and then got leveled by Vanek, creating the scoring opportunity.

The Red Wings did too much standing around and watching in the first period, conceding much zone time to the Canadiens, who got a pair of goals from Tomas Plekanec to take a 2-0 lead.

Plekanec opened the scoring at 5:14 with a slap shot from the faceoff circle. He scored again at 14:11, on a one-timer from a pass by Subban.